


Indomitable

by BlackCats



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bullying, F/F, Headcanon, Implied Relationships, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-23
Updated: 2013-09-23
Packaged: 2017-12-27 11:38:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/978444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackCats/pseuds/BlackCats
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A younger Yang, and bullies, and the disproportionate amount of trouble that arose from something as small as hair-care.<br/>(Yang discovers what lit her famous fire, though she didn't learn her name until years later.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Indomitable

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Divine Kali](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Divine+Kali).



The side of Yang’s face slammed into the wet pavement, and she was unable to tell if the damp feeling was blood, rain, or tears. She hoped to God it wasn’t the latter, because this was already bad enough. The female voices jeering above her came into focus after a lengthy period of muddled murmurings as her dazed mind struggled to make sense of the words.

“I bet she thinks she’s better than the rest of us! Doesn’t she?”

“Yeah, yeah she does!”

“What’s _up_ with her?!”

“Just who does she think she is?”

Yang really didn’t care what they were saying because she knew it was a lie—or, at least, it _had_ been. She hadn’t thought so before, but the longer the mocking continued, the more certain she became that, yes, she was indeed better than them.

Yang Xiao Long was currently just over the age of thirteen, and she was finding herself swarmed by some girls that went to the same school as her. There were four in total and one was actually _fifteen_. That would be the ringleader, who was breeding hate in her flunkies with every smack of her bright pink lips.

She tried to stand up when she noticed a lapse in their concentration, but the two girls pinning her flat on her stomach increased the pressure on her shoulders and back, practically spitting venom. The words didn’t really do much to bother her, and the ringleader seemed to have realized this.

Yanking roughly at Yang’s long blonde hair, the ringleader hissed, “So, are you satisfied? _Are you_? That every boy in school just has to go _on and on_ about the _beautiful_ Yang and her absolutely _gorgeous_ hair?”

That was a bit of an exaggeration, and Yang told her as much, in a dry tone. This was hardly the first time someone had gotten snippy with her regarding her hair, and the response had been reflexive.

“ _Bitch_!” She was practically shrieking now. “Even my own _boyfriend_ said so! Do you know what he said? _Do you_?”

“No, but I imagine you’ll tell me,” she muttered, rolling her eyes to the heavens. The sky was still partially cloudy and she wondered distantly if it was going to rain again later that day. The sun was showing signs of getting ready to set…

Yang flinched as the ringleader heaved on her hair so hard that her face was pulled from the ground. Anger roiled within her but she lacked the strength to do anything about it. That lone fact, more than the taunting, the pushing, and the grabbing, bothered her more than anything else. The helpless feeling nearly pushed the young girl to tears, but she refused to give them the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

She didn’t even know who they _were_ —she just vaguely recognized them, as faces in the hallway and in the cafeteria.

“He told me I should grow my hair out.” Her assaulter’s voice was frigid, and Yang heard her breaths coming hard and fast. “ _’Long and pretty’_ , he said. _‘Like Yang’s’_ , he said.” Her voice sounded like it was about to crack about as badly as her sanity already had. “ _This is all your fault!”_

Yang was baffled. Her face was drawn into a tight grimace but she opened one eye, seeing the frenzied look of _hatred_ burning in the gaze of the ringleader. “You’re blaming _me_ …because your boyfriend likes my hair…?”

“It’s your fault,” she whispered, every syllable trembling with fury. “And I’m going to make you pay. Hold her still.”

For the first time, Yang felt fear flash through her heart. They were in a deserted area, a shortcut that was usually safe enough that she took on her way home every day from school…the chances of anyone coming across them was low.

As she felt the pressure on her increase, pinning her down much firmer so that she could basically taste the grit on the cement, she very nearly screamed—

Except she saw something that froze the breath in her lungs.

A fluttering of golden hair. And then another. She coiled every muscle in her body but with the posse of girls trapping her, she was unable to do a thing.

The ringleader kept cutting roughly with the same scissors Yang was certain she had seen in the school’s art room earlier that day. She had a wide, unnerving grin on her face and her stare was unseeing. “Let’s see how pretty the boys find you _now_ ,” she growled, hoarse and low.

She closed her eyes tight because she didn’t want to see what was happening. She knew it was unlikely anyone would hear her even if she _did_ make a sound, but really, she just couldn’t find her voice. The prickling of humiliation began and she shut everything out, reluctant to face it, to see it, to listen.

It felt like forever and a day before she became aware of the fact that the older girl and her posse of brainless followers had gone.

Yang sat up slowly, bracing her arms against the ground because she didn’t trust in her ability to sit upright without help. She looked down at her scuffed pants and focused on the smears of dirt crisscrossing the surface as she attempted to calm her breathing.

Her fingers curled into fists so tight that crescent marks would surely be left behind. Her shoulders shook from a mixture of emotions that she couldn’t even name, and an intense blaze seemed to be burning up her insides.

It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t _fair_. _It wasn’t fair!_

She lifted her head and forced herself to look at the clump of dark yellow hair that had been dropped into a puddle a few short inches away. Yang nearly reached for it, but pulled back at the last moment, scowling deeply.

Every morning, every evening, every day, she had taken care of her hair. If it was “beautiful” or “amazing” it was because she had put so much effort into it! It was important to her for a reason besides vanity; it reminded her of her—

On a sudden impulse, Yang clamped one of her hands to the top of her head. She was surprised to feel hair was still there—at least _all_ of ithadn’t been removed—and she traced the roughly shorn edges to around her ears. Not as bad as she had been expecting.

Still. Didn’t matter. Her own weakness disgusted her.

Yang’s lip curled and she looked at what she could see of her reflection in the puddle. Clouds were rolling in, dark and heavy and menacing.

They were going to pay. She had no idea when or how, but Yang Xiao Long was not going to take this affront sitting down.

…Or crouching, for that matter. Rising to her feet, she picked up her fallen schoolbag and set off for home, gingerly rubbing a bruise on her cheek.

~***~

She had hoped to be able to get to the bathroom and clean herself up first without anyone noticing, but alas—

“Oh, hey Y—“ Ruby’s eyes widened to the size of dinner plates and she stepped all the way out of the kitchen. “ _Yang_! Oh man, what happened to your—“

Clapping a hand to her younger sister’s mouth, Yang pulled her close and shook her head quickly. “It’s nothing,” she muttered. “Never mind it, all right?”

Experimentally pulling her hand away led to Ruby still babbling in confusion and alarm about the state of her big sister’s hair, and thus it had to be replaced. Eventually, she relaxed a bit and just nodded, though she didn’t seem too pleased.

“So, uh…” She tried to sound casual despite the obvious weirdness present. “Do we have any hats? Or anything like that?”

~***~

Even Ruby had heard about the most bizarre incident to strike the local schools in a long time. Four girls, all in their early to mid-teens, had been pranked upon exiting a club room. Some foul concoction had been splattered along their hair, and it led to most of it ultimately being chopped off. No one knew the exact details and the girls were unwilling to talk about it, but the story was quickly becoming legendary.

“I mean, don’t you think that’s _weird_? Do you know anything about it, Yang? They went to your school, right?” Ruby asked one morning, leaning forward in her seat a bit as she did so.

Yang shrugged and made a big show of spiraling whipped cream on her waffles. “Hey, don’t ask _me_! I don’t even know who they are. But it’s a real mystery, isn’t it?”

~***~

Ever since that event, Yang had kept her hair short.

She did her best not to let it show how badly it all bothered her, but maybe if it would put an end to people picking on her…well…could be easier to just leave it as it was. Last thing she desired was more incidents like the one before.

Yang felt deeply melancholy, and it was an unusual feeling. Ruby had to suspect _something_ , but her sister couldn’t seem to find the words to address it. She didn’t blame her. Not at all.

She had to take detours down busier roads to avoid any more unpleasant confrontations with the pack of girls that had bugged her previously. It was just a precaution, really, and she allowed herself to become lost in the crowded streets as she ambled home.

She didn’t feel...normal. Her confidence, her pride, _everything_ was battered. Her neck was too bare, her steps were too hesitant, and she hated herself for wallowing like this, but…what could she do? After appeasing the righteous wrath she had possessed before, she was left with a sensation that could only be described as…Hollow.

Getting stronger was not an easy task. She’d try, but what if she couldn’t do it? The strength wouldn’t be just for her, it’d be for family and friends. What sort of strength did someone like _her_ have to offer? All the doubt in her mind haunted her thoughts, like the monsters that stalked the wilderness beyond the safety of town.

Thus had it been, these past few weeks.

Chuckling—deep and masculine—reached Yang’s ears, and she paused at the mouth of a rather ominous alleyway. She looked up and down the street, but this particular boulevard was currently deserted.

Voices could be heard, and judging by the tone, she knew it wasn’t good. A quiet female voice uttered something indistinct, but this served to generate more scornful laughter.

Her curiosity got the better of her.

Yang crept down the side-street silently, peeking around the corner. Lilac eyes stretched open wide as she saw what was happening.

The alley opened out on the other end to another road. She had no idea what had happened exactly, but she was willing to bet that the dark-haired girl had been shepherded down here from there. A pair of boys, both probably around sixteen, was harassing her.

The girl looked to be about Yang’s own age, bearing amber eyes with her arms wrapped protectively around a book. Her shoulders were bunched and apprehension was evident in her posture. A redheaded boy was smirking, tugging at what appeared to be a pair of cat ears on the girl’s head.

“What are _these_ supposed to be?” He was laughing so hard that it was difficult to understand him. “Eh, kitty girl? Tell me what these are!”

Snicker, snicker, lots of snickering from the other boy. “You tell her boss, you tell her!”

The redhead slapped him upside the head. “You dolt, I’m asking _her_ to tell _me_!”

“You tell her to tell you, boss! You tell her!”

Yang almost laughed, because the black-haired girl had the most deadpan expression on her face as she observed this.

“Well? What are they?” The redhead was gripping the girl’s shoulder now, sneering. “What’s the matter with you, can’t you talk?”

“Cat ears,” the girl muttered in a voice just above a whisper. She was avoiding eye contact.

“What’s the use of something as dumb as these?”

“No use at all,” said the other boy with a knowing grin. Yang immediately didn’t like the looks of it, and she dug her nails into the cold stone of the wall.

“She’d look so much cuter without them.” The redhead reached to yank them off but the girl ducked back. She almost managed to get away, however unfortunately she was caught at the last minute and thrown against the wall so hard that it elicited a wince of sympathy from Yang.

“Oooh that was a close one, boss!”

“Shut it, will you?” The redhead directed his attention back towards the girl. “I don’t know where you think you’re going, but I’m gonna put those thoughts right out of your head!”

Yang took one look at the glimmer of fear in the girl’s eyes and decided she had seen enough. Without even thinking about it, without even realizing it, she was walking down the alleyway.

“Hey! What’s going on here?”

For a moment the two boys were startled, but their expressions settled into unpleasant grins as they saw it was just another girl, younger than them at that. The black-haired girl appeared to be surprised.

The redhead leered at her. “A little young to play hero, aren’tcha?”

“Hmm…” She pretended to ponder this. “I don’t know. Good thing you’re a little young to be a real threat.”

The other boy guffawed at that but shut up the instant that his boss glared at him. “Sammy, get that big-mouthed _brat_ and bring her over here!”

“Right away, boss!”

Yang was only caught off-guard by one thing, and that was the speed of the guy apparently called “Sammy”. He darted from the side of the redhead and snatched at her wrist and her arm. Though he succeeded in grabbing one, he didn’t manage to get the other. Yang snagged the only thing near her that she could reach, which just so happened to be the metal lid of a steel trash can.

A noise that she thought had only existed in cartoons reverberated throughout the air as she crashed it against the side of Sammy’s noggin with enough force to leave him seeing stars. The power behind that blow had shocked even herself, and Yang stared for half a moment.

It was just…

She knew that feeling. Helpless, being made fun of for something so miniscule no matter which way it was spun, picked on by people older and stronger but honestly…intellectually inferior, to add insult to injury. She didn’t want anyone to suffer that way, not at all. Not ever.

There was a sort of reckless courage flowing through her veins, and Yang welcomed it, because it was the only thing keeping her own terror at bay.  The inferno roared; a flame that caused her heart to burn.

When Sammy’s grip predictably slackened, she took a quick step back and jammed her knee between the fork of his legs. He made a noise like a dying walrus and collapsed onto his side, twitching badly. She stepped over him without pausing at all; flinging the lid of the trash can like a Frisbee.

It bounced off of the thoroughly stunned redhead, and he staggered back, clutching the ugly purple welt that was blossoming like a misshapen flower on his forehead. He swore loudly and pushed the black-haired girl behind him, sending her onto the ground. Fortunately, she was all right.

If she had any sense, she’d run away as fast as she could.

Yang showed a smile that was all teeth, like a simpering shark. “I’d say you need a new flunky.”

The redhead didn’t reply, he just strode straight toward her and thrust her against the wall. The limited space in the alley made avoiding such a speedy assault impossible. Yang had been expecting the blow when it came, but it still stung terribly nonetheless. She wasn’t sure if there’d be a mark left behind, but she was willing to bet it.

“You think you’re so _clever_ , don’t you?” The redhead was frothing at the mouth with anger, rancid breath causing her to wrinkle her nose. She flexed her muscles, testing the limits of the restraints he was attempting to place against her.

He pulled his fist back to punch her again, but he hadn’t been expecting her to shift her head abruptly to the side as far as she could manage during the short time it took for the hit to land. The result was him partially banging his knuckles against weatherworn brick. That told her right off the bat that he was little more than a thug, with no actual technique to speak of, not even those bred from street brawls.

That momentary distraction was all she needed. Yang twisted and tore herself free from his clutch, though in the process, she lost the cap she had been wearing lately to cover what was left of her hair. Long, angry red scratch marks sprung up on her bare arms from the redhead’s nails. The instant he turned around, she kneed him in the groin, not caring about honor or fairness when she was fighting a dirtbag that was nearly head and shoulders taller than her.

He doubled over with a pained groan for a moment, but surged at her regardless and attempted a series of blows made clumsy thanks to pain. Though a few did manage to connect, Yang gritted and pushed back _hard_ , adrenaline like she had never felt before giving her the strength to send the redhead tumbling onto his back. He was already weak at the knees, and that was all he needed to topple like a domino.

And, conveniently, atop his dazed buddy.

For good measure, Yang kicked him again, which caused the guy to roll over with a whimper.

“Ah…screw this; man…We’re out of here, c’mon!”

Yang felt a fierce burst of satisfaction as she watched the pair limp away like dogs, tails between their legs. She placed her hands on her hips and grinned, feeling more like herself than she had in a long time.

“I was going to help you,” a voice from behind her said. “But it seems like you had it covered. Color me impressed.”

During the kerfuffle, Yang had almost completely forgotten about the black-haired girl, with her book and kitty ears.

Almost.

She turned around to face her and grinned. “He was a pushover! I’m almost disappointed.”

The other girl smiled. It wasn’t very large and it could have easily been missed, but Yang saw it and had the distinct feeling that she would never quite forget it. “Are you all right?”

Hmm. That was a good question. Yang made a face and checked herself for scrapes, scratches, cuts, and bruises. She had plenty of them all but oddly—she didn’t mind. That fire had subsided for now, but the vibe it had given her had truly revitalized her tired spirit.

She cocked her head to the side, intrigued, wondering what about the serious, bookish girl across from her had inspired such a blast of ferociousness. Was it really just empathy concerning her situation?

Realizing she hadn’t answered her question, she waved a hand. “It’s nothing to worry about. How about you? They didn’t do anything to you, did they?”

Relief flooded through her as the girl shook her head.

“Thank God for that!” Yang laughed, but had to cut it short because an ache sprang up in her chest from where an unlucky punch from before had landed. She was going to feel _that_ one in the morning. “… _Ow_.”

That actually brought out a light chuckle from the girl, and Yang decided that the whole thing had been worth it, right then and there. “I suppose I should thank you, considering what you’ve done…” Golden eyes trailed to the side, soft and unsure. “So…thanks.”

“Sure. Anytime.” She meant it.

The girl retrieved Yang’s fallen hat, which she had forgotten about until then. She dusted it off, but after casting a look from the article of clothing to her impromptu savior, she shook her head again. “Why were you wearing this?”

“Huh?” The question threw her for a loop. Yang rubbed the back of her head. “To cover my hair. You wouldn’t _believe_ the trouble it’s caused.”

Reaching a hand out, the girl took a strand in her hand and stroked her fingers down it. The gesture was meticulous and studying, but Yang felt her cheeks flush nonetheless. “You shouldn’t,” said the girl.

There might as well have been a question mark over her head, thanks to the intensity of Yang’s confusion.

“I think it’s…pretty. I suppose it’s fine as it is, but…” Her hand went back to clutching her book. “You should grow it out. It’d be better that way.”

Yang’s surprise gave way to gratitude. She put on her largest grin. “Hmm, you know…maybe you’re right.” And she’d be damned if she allowed anything to happen to her hair again. A single stupid incident was no reason to stop taking care of it!

Especially if people like _her_ took notice of such things.

She took the hat back anyway, though she didn’t put it on. Bouncing it between her hands, she said, “I’m not just saying this for no reason, but—your headband! I think you should keep it on, no matter what anyone says. It looks cute on you.”

The very faintest traces of a blush could be espied on the girl’s cheeks, and Yang privately scored herself a point. Her eyes shifted off again. “Heh…Maybe I will.” Gathering her book close to her chest—she had never even seen the cover—the girl nodded. “I’ve got to be somewhere. I’m already late as it is. But…” She partly turned away, one eye fixed on her face. “…Take care.”

Yang gave a quick wave, not having time to reply since she was already out of the alley in just a few heartbeats.

It was only when she was on the way home yet again that she realized she had never learned her name.

~***~

“Ruby!” Yang flung her door open with no prior announcement whatsoever, nearly causing her younger sister to drop the thick weapons magazine she was reading. “Come on, we’re going shopping!”

“Wait, hold on! What are we going shopping for?” She stared at her, long and hard, her jaw dropping after a moment. “Yang, why are you bleed—?!”

The protestations were dismissed swiftly. “Never mind that, we’ve got to get hair supplies! When was the last time I even _bought_ any…?”

Ruby still looked like she wanted to object, but she seemed to have detected her sister’s change in mood from the last few weeks. She swung her legs over the bed and sprang off of it instead, wearing a smile of her own and playing along in lieu of questioning.

~***~

Years and years later at a prestigious school known as Beacon Academy, Yang Xiao Long ran into an unexpectedly familiar face.

It wasn’t the hair that tipped her off, or the demeanor, or even the eyes. Rather, the giveaway had been a pair of black cat ears that she would recognize anywhere, ribbon or not, though she had only seen them once before.

Despite the curiosity that tickled her at the sight, she had almost abandoned her as a lost cause. Perhaps she didn’t recognize her, perhaps she did and simply didn’t want to talk, and perhaps she was somehow mistaken. Whatever the case, the girl—now young lady—didn’t seem all that open to friendship and talking...

That is, until Ruby said _just_ the right thing and _just_ the right events transpired that led to a relatively nice conversation not long afterwards.

She learned her name, and she swore that during one brief interval when Ruby’s focus had moved onto a girl who could have been the personification of ice, Yang spotted one long and slow wink given to her by none other than Blake Belladonna.

**Author's Note:**

> As a prompt, I was given this very interesting headcanon from my friend Kali (KasumiKamigawa on Tumblr) and I wrote it to the best of my abilities!
> 
> Vaguely AU-ish? Probably. Super vague location in the flashbacks? Of course! Nevertheless I do hope it was entertaining enough! Written in an attempt not to trip over canon too badly.


End file.
